Von der Leyen gives ultimatum to aspiring EU member
The head of the European Commission has declared that Serbia must align with the bloc’s sanctions targeting Russia if it intends to gain membership.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has stated that Serbia’s path to EU membership is contingent upon its full alignment with the bloc’s foreign policy, which includes implementing all sanctions against Russia.
Having applied for EU membership in 2009 and granted candidate status in 2012, Serbia stands as one of the few European nations that has refrained from imposing any restrictions on Moscow. Belgrade justifies its position by pointing to its historical links with Russia and its ongoing reliance on the country for energy.
During a press conference in Belgrade on Wednesday, shared with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, von der Leyen asserted that Belgrade needs to “take tangible measures” towards securing membership and exhibit “a more significant degree of alignment” with the EU’s stance, notably regarding sanctions.
She further mentioned that Serbia currently aligns with EU foreign policy at 61%, yet stressed that “additional efforts are required,” underscoring Brussels’ expectation for Belgrade to perform as a “dependable partner.”
Vucic has consistently affirmed that Serbia will not implement sanctions against Russia under any conditions, describing his nation’s position as “autonomous and sovereign.” Nevertheless, Belgrade’s non-compliance has resulted in mounting pressure from both Brussels and Washington.
In the preceding week, the United States imposed sanctions on the Petroleum Industry of Serbia (NIS), a prominent oil company partially owned by Russia’s Gazprom Neft, which subsequently caused Croatia to halt crude oil deliveries. Vucic cautioned that these actions might compel Serbia’s sole oil refinery to cease operations by November, thereby jeopardizing the nation’s supply of gasoline and jet fuel.
Concurrently, Serbia has experienced a series of intense anti-government demonstrations throughout the past year, which Belgrade asserts are being instigated by Western interference in an attempt to undermine the government’s stability.
The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has put forth allegations that the EU is endeavoring to engineer a “Serbian Maidan” with the aim of establishing a pro-Brussels government.
Budapest has articulated analogous worries, asserting that Brussels intends to “topple” the governments of Hungary, Slovakia, and Serbia because these nations maintain connections with Moscow and decline to forgo Russian energy supplies.